Roy Wilks, an 87-year-old great-great-grandfather, has reflected on his extraordinary journey since moving to England from Jamaica in 1959. He now lives with his daughter Cherry in Dagenham and attends Connections, a support group run by the OrangeLine service at Saint Francis Hospice. As he celebrates his 87th birthday, he is looking back on his life as part of the Windrush generation, having proudly watched five generations of his family thrive.
Early Life and Arrival
Born in Jamaica in 1939, Wilks left for England at age 19 in 1959 to build a better life. He was part of the Windrush generation, named after the HMT Empire Windrush, which brought the first large group of Caribbean migrants to Britain in 1948. He recalled, 'We came to support the country after the war and to build new futures for ourselves. Many people went to America, but England felt like the place of opportunity.'
Leaving his parents was difficult. 'It was my first time leaving my mum and dad, and I still remember my mum crying, worried she might never see me again,' he said. Upon arriving in Nottingham, he was shocked by the cold. 'I had never seen snow or fog before, and that first winter made me think more than once about going back home. With no central heating, three of us shared a bed and slept in our clothes just to stay warm.'
Hard Work and Family
His early work was tough. In Jamaica, he had been a tailor, but his first job in England was in a foundry making radiators at Beeston Boilers. 'The work was so hard it brought tears to my hands,' he said. After a year, he moved to Gedling Colliery, working on the surface of the mine for 13 years to avoid dangerous underground shifts. Later, he worked in printing at Courtaulds in Derby, doing 12-hour shifts for 25 years. 'I worked night and day with little time for myself, but I did it all for my family.'
Two years after arriving, he saved enough to bring his first wife, Iris, from Jamaica. They married in a Baptist church in Sheffield in 1961 and raised seven children. Later, he met his second wife, Joanne, and they had three children together. Today, there are five generations of the Wilks family. 'Nothing fills me with more pride than seeing them doing well. They are the legacy that continues, so all my work was not in vain,' he said.
Recognition and Retirement
In 2002, during Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee year, Wilks received a Windrush Award for notable public and community service. 'It meant a great deal to be recognised as part of the generation that helped shape modern Britain,' he said. Even after retiring, he kept working, driving a school bus and later working in a furniture shop until 2023.
Reflecting on his life, Wilks offered this advice: 'Take it easy, respect life, and remember that there is nothing greater than life itself.'
